IITGN Begins Preparing for the Second Phase of Construction of its Permanent Campus

The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has begun preparing for the second phase of construction of its permanent campus at Palaj, Gandhinagar, which will more than double the student strength at the Institute.

Ahmedabad, Gujarat, May 24, 2014 -(PressReleasePoint)- The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has begun preparing for the second phase of construction of its permanent campus at Palaj, Gandhinagar, which will more than double the student strength at the Institute. The Institute is conducting a national-level design competition to select the architect who will design the next phase of hostels, guesthouse and the director’s residence.

IITGN is developing its permanent campus on a 400-acre site on the banks of the Sabarmati River at Palaj in Gandhinagar. The first phase of construction for nearly 1,200 students is nearing completion and the Institute will move from its current facilities in Chandkheda to the new campus early next year.

The evaluation committee met at IITGN (May 21 and 22, 2014) to review the concept plans and the credentials of applicants and short-listed eight architectural firms for the next stage of competition — NMA, New Delhi; Kalayojan Architect, Mumbai; ABRD Architects Pvt Ltd, New Delhi; Space Design Consultants, New Delhi; Flying Elephant Studio, Bangalore; Inscape, Ahmedabad; Team for Eng. Arch. And Management (TEAM), New Delhi; and Architects Combine, Mumbai.

In the next stage, these eight shortlisted architectural consultants will be expected to carry out a more detailed design for student hostels, guesthouse and director’s bungalow. Another evaluation committee will evaluate these proposals to select the consultant who will be awarded this project.

IITGN has been engaging a number of outstanding architects and consultants to developing a unique campus, which draws inspiration from traditional Ahmedabad architectural styles. Traditional pol houses in the old city of Ahmedabad showcase scale and hierarchy of spaces, ideal for the extreme, climatic conditions of the region. Narrow shaded pathways, shared walls, internal courtyards, terraces and jaali fenestration serve to reduce heat and increase natural ventilation. A contemporary interpretation of these traditional elements is the architectural vocabulary of IITGN’s campus design.

IITGN Director Prof Jain said: “We aspire our campus to have three main attributes: 1) it should invite visitors to want to come and see a beautiful campus, 2) it should encourage interaction between different members of the Institute community, and 3) it should be sustainable, consuming minimal energy and water, and require low maintenance. Our selection process for the architects intends to select architects who can provide most creative and interesting design, regardless of size of their firm”